


Pity Party for Two

by 8Verity8



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alien Science Bros, Echo mentioned, Gen, I heart these two and their budding friendship!, Liz & Michael bffs, Malex mentioned, Michael Guerin Appreciation Week, Post Season 1, Rated for lots of swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 10:22:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20673812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8Verity8/pseuds/8Verity8
Summary: Liz and Michael are working on a cure, a way to save Max, when the stress becomes too much. Michael decides they need a break before they go crazy. Fluff and a lot of swearing ensue. Mainly this is a self indulgent fic about two of my favorite characters and their adorable budding friendship... and because Michael cares damn it, and he takes care of his people!For the Michael Guerin Appreciation Week, Day 1 prompt: "Welcome to the party."





	Pity Party for Two

**Author's Note:**

> This was hastily written AND hastily edited... by me. So all mistakes are mine.

“Fuck!”  


Liz’s voice shattered the air, startling Michael where he sat at the opposite end of the table. He watched in stunned silence as Liz kicked the rolling chair that had the misfortune to be in her way before kicking the cabinet behind her too for good measure.  


“Uh,” Michael opened his mouth to say something, but was drawing a blank, he didn’t know how to deal with this... whatever _this_ was.  


“This is pointless, we’re never going to save him at this rate,” Liz choked out, tears of frustration shimmering in her eyes and threatening to spill over. “I can’t, I don’t know what I’ll do if—"  


Okay, _this_ he knew how to deal with, he and the whole downward spiral of failure and self-doubt were old friends. Michael was intimately aware of all the frustrations that came with those feelings too. He sighed as he stood up and cautiously made his way over to Liz.  


“Hey,” he told her pulling her into an awkward hug. “We’re going to figure this out. You’re one of the smartest people I know. And I _am_ the smartest person I know, so...”  


Liz snorted at his half-assed attempt at humor, gifting him with a small smile. It was a start.   


“What we need is a break,” Michael continued. “Get our heads off the problem for a bit, so we can reset... come at it again with fresh eyes.”  


“That’s what we need, huh? What exactly did you have in mind?” Liz voice had a teasing quality to it, but she seemed on board with the idea.  


“I’m happy to welcome you to the first official Liz and Michael Pity Party,” Michael announced dramatically, stepping back in order to execute a less than graceful bow before giving her a cheeky grin.   


“Pity party? Shouldn’t there be ice cream or something at a pity party? I’m pretty sure there is supposed to be ice cream.” Although her eyes still watered, the smile she was giving him now was genuine.  


“Well, what are we waiting for, then? To the Crash Down!” Michael announced checking his back pocket for his wallet and keys before grabbing his jacket, grinning to himself when Liz grabbed her jacket and followed after him.  


Twenty minutes later they were sitting across from each other in one of the diner’s back booths chowing down on ice cream sundaes. Michael spoke up after they each had a chance to savor a few creamy spoonfuls.  


“Okay Ortecho we got the ice cream, now spill. You can’t have a proper pity party without the whole, you know, ‘woe is me’ stuff.” He gave her a cheesy grin and gestured with his spoon for her to get on with it, dripping ice cream on the table in the process.  


“I,” she began, only to stop again with a disgruntled look before taking another bite of ice cream. “Okay look, this is just weird, sitting here complaining about how much I miss Max. He’s your brother. I know you miss him too and your’e going through other shit too. I mean, I guess it just feels selfish…”  


“What, would it help if I started whining about all my fucked-up shit? Cuz I can do that if that’s what its gonna take. I’ve got plenty of shit to pull from—”  


“Actually yeah,” Liz murmured leaning on the table. “That might help. You go first.”  


Well, fuck.  


“Um right, okay… let’s see,” Michael picked at his napkin as he tried to figure out where to start.  


“Not so easy, is it?” Liz asked with a smug grin.  


“Look, I’ve got plenty to whine about, but we don’t have all night, which means I’ve got to be _selective._ So give me a minute_,” _Michael tilted his head, tapping his head in mock concentration as he debated what he should lead with, how far back he should go. Should he mention Alex, or would that be awkward for Liz, make things worse. Would opening up about Max help Liz to open up about Max?  


“You’re thinking too hard Guerin,” Liz drawled, giving him a look. “Just think about your biggest failure, your biggest fuck up… what’s the first thing that pops into your head.”  


“Alex.”  


The name was past his lips before the thought had even fully formed. His face flushed with heat once his brain cut up to his mouth and he tried to back track. “I mean, that’s not what—”  


“First thought Michael,” Liz admonished. “No take backs.”  


“Fine,” Michael sighed before quickly grabbing his spoon and shoving ice cream into his mouth. It wasn’t much but at least he wouldn’t have to respond right away.  


“So…” Liz asked, dragging his attention away from his bowl and back to her. “Why is Alex your biggest failure?”  


“Alex isn’t,” Michael mumbled.  


“But you said—-”   


“_I’m_ a failure when it comes to Alex,” Michael interrupted. “When it comes to a relationship with him, or anything. I always fuck it up. Ales isn’t a fuck up, he’s everything, but I can’t seem to stop fucking things up with him. Love isn’t supposed to be this hard is it?”  


“You’re asking me?” Liz scoffed incredulously. “I accused Max of destroying Rosa, and for turning my family into a target! I’m in love with him and I was finally okay with that, I was accepting Rosa’s death, accepting the guilt. I was moving on… but he was still carrying all that bullshit. All that guilt, and I didn't know! He never would have done what he did if I hadn’t said those things. This, _all _of this, is my fault!”  


Liz broke off with a choked sob, burying her face in her arms on the table. Her body shook with tears and Michael leaned over to rub her back soothingly as she finally cried it all out.  


“This isn’t on you, Liz. Seriously, Max has a savior complex that would put Jesus to shame at the best of times, and he wasn’t thinking clearly that night. He healed my hand even though I was telling him not too… he just wouldn’t listen. He probably got it into his head that everything would be solved, the past ten years, all if it, if he could just bring Rosa back. That’s not on you Liz, that’s on all of us, especially him.”  


“You think so?” Liz asked quietly, glancing up at him through her hair.  


“Yes, and I plan to give him an earful as soon as we get him back for being a complete and utter fucking idiot, trust me. Because we _are_ going to get him back Liz. You and I are going to figure this out,” Michael promised grabbing her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “And then we’re going to kill him… metaphorically speaking of course.”  


“Thanks, I needed that,” she told him with a shaky laugh.  


“I guess we can consider the first official Liz and Michael Pity Party a success then,” he announced with a grin, saluting her with his glass of water.  


“Almost,” Liz answered giving him a speculative look. “What are you going to do about Alex?”  


“One problem at a time, Liz,” Michael told her with a tight smile as he lowered the glass. “Let’s just focus on getting through the Max issue for now, yeah?”  


“Fine,” Liz agreed reluctantly. “But as soon as this is over, we’re having our second official pity party and you’re going to spill everything Guerin!”  


“Yeah, yeah…” Michael waved her off, he’d deal with that when he had too. Hopefully, she would be too distracted by Max to worry about him and his problems by then. He could only hope. Now he had even more of a reason to get his damn brother back. “Come on then, let’s get back to work.”

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments feed the muse... but so does lively discussion about the pod squad and the humans that love them. Feel free to come geek out with me on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/8verity8)


End file.
